1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of position sensing, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for determining the absolute position, including the location and orientation, of a device with respect to an origin as the device is moved.
2. Related Art
Many devices rely on positioning data to operate. For example, an inkjet printer relies on positioning data and the mechanics of a print assembly to ensure that thousands of ink dots are placed at precise locations on a media by the nozzles of a print head. Similarly, a scanner relies on positioning data, stable media placement, and a stabilizer bar to move a scan head along the media with precision. The printer and the scanner rely upon the positioning data to control the movement of components that, by design, are mechanically and precisely restricted or confined in direction and movement. Consequently, accurate imaging is achieved.
A stand alone device such as a desktop printer is large enough to include the components required to move the media and print head relative to one another with precision as an image or object is rendered on the media. Likewise, a desktop scanner is large enough to include the components that steadily and precisely move the stabilizer bar along the media. However, such stabilizing and positioning components are usually too large for use in smaller devices. For example, handheld scanners are not large enough to incorporate the components that desktop scanners have to generate accurate image data. Rather, handheld scanners rely on human motor skills to steadily move the stabilizer bar (or some other device that supports the scan head) across the media. Human motor skills are far less precise than the components implemented in desktop devices and the quality of digital images that are obtained with handheld scanners is markedly inferior to that of desktop scanners. An improvement in the operation of handheld devices is desirable.